A Cold Spell
Players: DM * DM BQ Players * Atalie d'Orien, a 'Marked fighter with odd abilities * Cicero d'Kundarak, a 'Marked wizard with odd abilities * Jawbreaker, a 'Forged Juggernaut with odd abilities * Leonardo ir'Brenith, a good egg with odd abilities Notable NPCs Bhamru.png|The Naughtiest Kitty, Bhamru Asche.png|Stronk Gorl Elizabeth.jpg|Brelish Fren Vari.jpg|Nice Lawful Evil Guy Rime.png|Gay Icicle Introduction A missive bearing the symbol of House Deneith is sent to the Wayfinders... ------- Greetings. I am Asche d'Deneith. My cousin Alban tells me of your discretion and competency. Thus, I seek your help for a mission that Khorvaire must never learn about. In the Fist of Onatar, a volcanic mountain range in the Mror Holds, is a hidden prison housing war criminals of the Last War. Run by a skeleton crew, it's normally protected by a Fernia manifest zone. Something has happened to the prison. What was once fire, is ice. For the safety of our nations, no matter which you claim allegiance to, I must enter that prison and ensure a prisoner does not escape in the confusion. My plan is to escort her out of Fist of Onatar and back to Karrnath where she will be re-imprisoned in a more secure location. I seek the Wayfinders help in only scouting and trailblazing this unknown terrain. Will you join me? Summary The Wayfinders meet Asche d'Deneith, a scarred follower of the Silver Flame, in a town named Kleinstadt on the Karrnathi border of Talenta, at the base of the Ironroot Mountains. Asche lays out the terms of the mission in (suspiciously?) succinct terms. Somewhere in the Fist of Onatar is a secret Kundarak prison called Site 105T or "Lost." Asche must enter it to escort out an Aundairian general, Rime Glace. The party asks for more information, but Asche simply doesn't know much. Rather, she briskly tells them to prepare for a cold-weather adventure and allows them to buy mundane camping and mountaineering supplies on her charge. The humans of the party also elect to each buy a Shard of Comfort. Now outfitted, they head out into the mountains. The party elects to begin climbing right away, shortening the time it takes them to get to the site. After a night under the stars, the party -- led by Jawbreaker -- grow suspicious of Asche and again ask for more direct information. She relays she doesn't know much about the prison itself, but she does know why General Glace is imprisoned. According to her, the General was accused of ordering the mass murder of seventy two priests of the Silver Flame and dumping their corpses off a bridge over the Aundair River. There are questions surrounding those orders, but none but her live to confirm or deny exactly what happened. Thrane would see her dead. Aundair would see her imprisoned forever. Oh, also she is a highly-skilled Risian mage. The party took in this information, but decided to keep moving. Several days passed, and soon they were almost upon the volcano. But they had been waylaid by a rickety rope bridge. Through athletics and ingenuity they were able to repair most of the bridge while crossing, but they were attacked by a pack of four winter wolves. The snow-white winter wolves screamed cold and downed Asche, Jawbreaker and Atalie. Cicero, still in the process of crossing the bridge, was able to rush and heal Atalie enough to wake her as Leo threw the wolves down a cliff. The party regrouped, and fought back. As the last winter wolf attempted to retreat Cicero slew it. They were safe, but very hurt. Nevertheless, the party decided to travel for one more hour to ensure nothing looking for fresh meat was drawn to the dead wolves. In the morning they continued on, although Jawbreaker remained suspicious of Asche. It got colder and colder and soon, they saw it... The prison. Sitting in the middle of a frozen lava flow the structure seemed ominously boring. Other than some snow owl bears on a single bridge leading to the only visible doors all signs of life had been extinguished. The group climbed down to the frozen pool, electing to use Cicero's familiar to scout around and search for another entrance. They found a maintenance entrance and entered the part of the prison that held holding cells for criminals. Inside one was a rather silly Minotaur who claimed she would be released any moment by King Boranel named Elizabeth. Elizabeth was in prison for totally killing "monsters," in truth likely Tiefling, Minotaur and other Droaamish children. The party did not like her, but they realized she was merely stupid -- not evil. They left Elizabeth in her cell and continued. Except Jawbreaker, who forced a confrontation with Asche. The Deneith snapped, and told Jawbreaker he was fired. Undeterred, Jawbreaker continued with the mission for the sake of Leo (and maybe Atalie and Cicero?). Outside the holding cells was a long hallway with a gigantic hole torn through the middle. Cicero tested the hole and found wurm juice. Feeling unnerved, the party head to the guard locker room, looking for any survivors. They found four dead Kundaraks and an ice weird. After a rousing battle they shattered the ice weird and were met by the warden, Harold, hauling around a man on a leash. The leashed man was Vari Kangur, an Emerald Claw and Seeker war criminal arrested for doing naughty things with the undead. Weary from their fight, the Wayfinders, Harold, Vari and Asche spent the night in general population. Asche told a very romantic story about meeting her wife ''on the battlefield. Both Jawbreaker and Leo felt oddly drawn to the magnetic necromancer. They talked on life, the afterlife and the ethics of doing things to dead bodies. After some time Harold brought them downstairs, to where General Rime was imprisoned. At the bottom of a stone spiral staircase spilled several secrets. Rime Glace was Asche d'Deneith's love, Harold was a Rakshasa named Bhamru and Leo was a good boy. (Wait everyone knew that last one.) The party managed to contain Bhamru with magebinders and interrogate her, although halfway through it turned to her interrogating them. The party learned that Bhamru had bound Vari to her on the threat of death along with the giant wurm, trapped Rime to the Fist of Onatar to create a manifest zone of Risia, and that everyone in the prison besides Elizabeth, Rime and Vari were dead and desiccated husks. As predicted, Bhamru freed herself, but not before teasing Barenthial, Leo's archon guide. She left them with a magnanimous hint, killing the wurm would weaken the ward she set on herself. She also implied that killing Vari would shatter it totally. But could the party kill a man in cold blood? A guilty war criminal, true. But now a helpless prisoner? Interestingly, Jawbreaker pledged that he would see Vari freed, not just of the ward but also the prison. However, with Bhamru escaped and Rime freed by Cicero's donation of a finger, the party ended the Risian manifest zone. The prison would slowly turn back to a Fernia zone, melting the ice and liquefying the lava pool. Time to 'yeet 'the wurm, then skedaddle. As the wurm died a small group of Kundaraks sent by the main enclave approached with orders to investigate the prison. Leo, Cicero and Atalie kept them talking as JB ran inside to free everyone. Except that really wasn't part of the plan. Separated from JB, Leo found an incriminating note about war crime committed by the 'Forged and Cicero learned more about what House Kundarak knew and wanted. While Cicero distracted his cousin Gaius, Atalie and Leo confronted Jawbreaker. At the end, Asche and Rime would assume new identities and live their lives in New Cyre. Vari and Liz would go back to prison. Neither seemed to mind... Problems solved or left to be handled another day the party meets up with Asche and Rime on the road. War stories are told, and crimes are forgiven. Asche and Rime, now Giselle and Elsa, admit they may not actually be all that married yet. Everyone pulls together in a big group hug! Conclusion It’s a nice day for a white wedding. The church of the Silver Flame in New Cyre is modest, although it’s one of the few buildings made of stone. White marble, imported from Thrane. Elsa is wearing a white, Aundairian-style, dress so bright it’s almost blue. Her thick black and white hair is pulled back into two braids that are secured on the top of her head with small, jeweled, pins. When she walks, small ice crystals form beneath her feet. It entertains the orphans living at the church as wards. She beams at Cicero nervously. At the end of the aisle, in front of Jawbreaker, stands Giselle. She shifts from side to side, scars twitching. She’s dressed in the silver bridal robes of Thrane. She looks… Tense. Atalie, at her side, gives her an encouraging grimace. Giselle grimaces back. Leo begins to play his violin while trying (and mostly failing) to simultaneously herd the orphans to their seats. Oldeo “helps” him, but he just ends up shh-ing ineffectively. Slowly, with Cicero at her side, Elsa walks down the aisle. Giselle may vomit she looks so nervous. Atalie gives her another encouraging grimace. As she approaches, Elsa holds out her hand for Giselle to take. Cicero and Atalie step back to stand beside Leo, then Jawbreaker begins to speak. ”It is rare, given our profession, that we pull together the strings of fate as opposed to unraveling them. So, it has come that our steps led us to the union of two star-crossed lovers. Before us, now, we see a joining of fates, where their stars have guided their crossing and so shone upon their future. From here on, they will walk their paths together. To forever guard and embolden each other, and forever know that no matter the darkness, two stars will shine together to create a brighter guide till the morrow. You may now recite your vows.” Giselle and Elsa recite their vows to each other, then lean in to seal their commitment with a kiss. The children and the Wayfinders cheer, and Leo starts to play a lively melody about love and celebration. It’s a nice day to start again. ❄️❄️❄️ King Boranel ir'Wynarn appears suddenly before Elizabeth’s cell. As in, one moment the hallway was empty. The next moment '''bam'. There’s the king. The Minotaur gasps, half in shock and half in pure delight. “YOU’RE--” She squeals, tail wagging, before throwing herself onto the floor in a low bow. King Boranel raises one eyebrow and cracks a slow, self-satisfied, smile. “Hello there Erica. I’ve come to release you.” Elizabeth, nose to the ground, says muffled, “Oh. I’m Elizabeth. I don’t know an Erica.” King Boranel’s smirk quickly changes to one of annoyance, “I mean you, you stupid…" Halfway through, King Boranel seems to reign in his exasperation. “Stupidly loyal soldier. Now, come. I have a mission for you.” Elizabeth looks up finally, eyes wide. “A mission? Where? How can I help? Wait--” Her expression falls, “Sorry, I’m in prison. Leo said I had to stay here.” The King of Breland licks his lips and braces one hand on his popped hip, “Oh, I know what that little archon-stuffed Leo said. But I’m the king, so I make the rules. I’m pardoning you, Erica-- Elizabeth, and then we’re going to become Wayfinders, you and I. You're nice and you're kind, and they'll absolutely make friends with you.” The Minotaur squeals again, delighted. “Yay! I love the Wayfinders!” King Boranel tilts his head, as if hearing something from far away. He laughs, shifting to the form of a pretty elf with long red hair as Elizabeth leaves her cell through the hole. She looks at the elf, confused. “What’s so funny?” “Oh, nothing much. Vari figured out the device. My ward grows stronger and his dream came true.” As Elizabeth and the elf with scarlet hair teleport away the prison goes dark. ❄️❄️❄️ It takes the dwarves three days to grow sick of hauling stinking bodies up the winding stone staircase. The heat is back on, so to speak, making everything nearly unbearable. Vari can hear one of the others screaming at Gaius. If the Kundarak isn’t careful, he’ll have a rebellion on his hands. Vari straightens up as he hears the voices grow louder. There’s a click, then Gaius walks in, eyeing him critically. “You aren’t afraid of ghosts?” He asks. Vari merely shakes his head in response. Gaius spits, Harold-like, and jerks his thumb to the blond dwarf behind him. “This is Pytor. You’re going down there to help clean up. But if Pytor even thinks you’re messing about with our dead he’ll shoot you through your one good eye. Do you understand?” Again, Vari merely nods silently. Thus, he is led to the room that holds the Fist of Onatar and the device Bhamru used to extract life essence. As he promised, Vari is quite respectful with the bodies of the fallen prisoners and Kundarak guards. He has no reason to raise these meager skeletons. A plan which began once he heard that vile Rakshasa scream out the name of The Endless Night is nearly complete. He waits, and bides his time. Pytor sneezes. Vari strikes. Moving quicker than expected the Karrn kicks at the side of Pytor’s knee, wrenching the simple hand crossbow away. The dwarf crumples. Vari follows him down, gripping his blond hair in one long-fingered fist, and slamming his head into stone. Pytor lays still. Vari approaches the machine he helped Bhamru build. This is a machine of his own design. He knows what it does, but more -- He knows what it can do. Vari takes several deep breaths, then plunges the needle deep into his chest. As he dies, his hand reaches out to activate the Fist of Onatar. The bright red spire pulsates. There is a subsonic thuum. All at once, like a candle being blown out, the room is plunged into darkness. Then, two pinpoints of light. One -- a bright purple eye shines out of a skull. The other eye is a yawning black hole. The second source of light is an unliving, beating, blood-red tell-tale heart. Vari lives again. ❄️ '- End a Cold Spell -' ❄️ Category:Expedition